Students report learning gains from Model UN and Japan trips; delegation won awards at regional conferences

Students and faculty described outcomes from two overnight/overseas trips during the April 3 meeting, including a Harvard Model United Nations delegation and a multi‑city visit to Japan.

Model UN: Faculty sponsor and student leaders said the Model UN program attended four conferences this year (St. John’s, Harvard, Tufts and Clark). "Harvard is basically the Super Bowl of Model UN," a faculty sponsor said, and the delegation represented Mexico across committees. Student leaders listed awards at Harvard—two Best Delegate awards (including Mitrin Kumar and Tyler Bono) and several diplomatic commendations—and noted that the team later won “best large delegation” awards at Tufts and Clark.

Japan trip: A separate student group described a roughly 11‑ to 12‑day trip to Japan, citing cultural immersion, language practice, and interactions with local residents and students. Students said the trip included visits to temples, stays in a traditional lodging (futon experiences) and local meals, and praised a tour guide named Mika‑san. Student speakers said the experience broadened their perspectives and recommended continuing accessibility efforts for international travel.

Committee context: The committee said it approves all overnight student travel; faculty sponsors said they will return with proposals that emphasize accessibility to make international travel available to more students.

Why it matters: Students described academic and soft‑skill development—public speaking, research, diplomacy and global awareness—from both trips. The Model UN awards demonstrate competitive success at the regional level; the Japan presentations highlighted experiential learning and equity of access.

What’s next: Faculty sponsors signaled plans to return to the committee in October with additional international travel proposals and to continue work on making trips more accessible.